Top 12 Crossbow Brands | Expert Advice | 60X Custom Strings

As a manufacturer of top-of-the-line crossbow strings and cables, we’re often asked to recommend the best crossbow brand. While many people will feel that brand A is better than brand B, there may not always be a clear-cut winner. All the top brands make a quality product, and many times it will come down to budget and features of the crossbow. Whether you’re looking for all-out performance or the best bang for the buck, understanding each brand’s major selling points will help you make an informed decision. I hope this article will shed some light on the industry’s top crossbow brands.

1. Ravin

Ravin took the crossbow industry by storm in the mid-2010s when they introduced their aggressively styled, rail-less, narrow axle-to-axle design. At first glance, it was something that we had never seen before, and it was easy to be negative. But after a few test shots, you’re left thinking, “Wow, this might work.” Fast forward a few years and just about every top crossbow company has something similar in their lineup.

I can say, without a doubt, that Ravin changed the crossbow industry. Every year, they continue to innovate and push further into designs that have never been seen before. Their commitment to continually changing the game has earned them a stellar reputation as one of the top crossbow brands.

The only downside to these performance machines is that they do require more maintenance compared to most lower-end crossbows. As a result, you’ll need to replace your Ravin crossbow strings more frequently.

2. TenPoint

Don’t overlook TenPoint on your quest to find the best crossbow brand. TenPoint has been a staple in the crossbow industry since before crossbows became popular. They’ve been manufacturing top-quality products right here in the USA since the mid-1990s. Besides making their outstanding crossbows, they’re known for their industry-leading customer service.

With crossbows and features for every budget, it’s no surprise that many archers consider TenPoint to be among the top crossbow brands, if not the cream of the crop. They’re also the parent company for Wicked Ridge and Horton (we’ll talk about them later on). With their popularity, we keep TenPoint crossbow strings in stock and ready to go.

3. Barnett

You can’t talk about crossbows without having Barnett in the conversation. The company was founded in a garage in the United Kingdom in 1962 by Bernard Barnett. As the business evolved over the years, they eventually moved to the US permanently in 2003. I would consider Barnett to have lower to mid-grade products. Many of these models are built with a specific price point in mind to be sold at big box stores or retailers.

While Barnett may not top the list of top crossbow brands for those seeking the best of the best, their affordability makes them worth considering for those shopping on a budget—you get a lot of crossbow for the money. As a result of their lower cost and availability, we sell more Barnett crossbow strings than any other brand.

4. Excalibur

Excalibur began in 1983 and has been evolving ever since. If you’re on the hunt for a recurve, Excalibur might just be the best crossbow brand for you. While many crossbow brands will have a recurve model or two in their lineup, Excalibur only offers recurve models.

Their claim is that their signature recurve design is more durable, accurate, and trouble-free than compound crossbows—all signs that point to Excalibur being one of the top crossbow brands. Thinking about that claim, it’s tough to argue against it. Each year, they introduce new models with more performance. Since you don’t need a bow press, it’s always a great idea to keep a spare replacement Excalibur crossbow string on hand for when the time comes.

5. Wicked Ridge

Wicked Ridge is one of the brands under the TenPoint umbrella. This brand was created to be a more budget-friendly alternative to the higher-end TenPoints. Their goal is to bring affordable, USA-made crossbows to market without sacrificing quality.

Being in the industry, I can say that they do a great job at this—Wicked Ridge is one of the top crossbow brands as far as bang for your buck goes. We don’t see nearly as many issues with this brand as we do with others in the same price range. We always keep a good stock of Wicked Ridge crossbow strings and cables on hand for when the time comes for replacement.

6. CenterPoint

CenterPoint crossbows have burst onto the scene in the past decade and are one of the leading budget brands. Most of their crossbows are lower-priced versions that are often retailed in big box or retail stores. It’s important to keep price in mind when determining the top crossbow brands. Sure, CenterPoint isn’t the best crossbow brand by all metrics, but the value is undoubtedly there.

CenterPoint’s parent company also acquired Ravin Crossbows back in 2018. This resulted in some Ravin technology being passed onto select CenterPoint models. Most models, however, do lack features compared to higher-priced competitors, but still offer a great cost-to-quality ratio. We do see some issues with this brand, but with the volume of sales and low price point, it’s to be expected. The good news is that we always have CenterPoint crossbow strings in stock year-round.

7. Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct is very comparable to CenterPoint in regards to why it’s on our list of top crossbow brands. Most of their offerings are lower-end and budget-minded, with some models being notorious for having issues. Now, they do have a couple of models with cool features knocking on the $1k mark, but overall, I’d say the brand is known for its more budget-friendly models. Love them or hate them, they’re here to stay, and we do sell several thousand Killer Instinct crossbow strings each season.

8. Stryker

Styker was started in 2005 by Bowtech Archery. They’ve always made a quality product, but don’t seem to be as aggressive with product development as their parent company or competitors. That said, they’re still worth mentioning on any list of the top crossbow brands. We have a full inventory of Stryker crossbow strings ranging from the old Desert Stryker up through the new Katana models.

9. Mission

As most people in the industry know, Mission is a known offshoot of the powerhouse, Mathews Inc. As the company evolved, they jumped into the crossbow market and have not disappointed, quickly earning a reputation as one of the best crossbow brand options out there. Known for being made in the USA, they’ve always led the way with quality products and great customer service.

Although MIssion has produced several models, the most famous has to be the Sub 1, which was the first crossbow advertised to shoot sub 1” groups at 100 yards. That pinpoint accuracy made many archers realize that Mission is one of the top crossbow brands. We once had a 1,000-shot challenge on a Mission crossbow string done by Crossbow Nation, and it didn’t disappoint.

10. Bear

Is there a more iconic name in archery than Bear? The Bear name has stood the test of time, and with the evolution of the sport, has jumped into the crossbow game. Much like their compound counterparts, this crossbow line is value-packed and delivers phenomenal bang for the buck. With a full selection of Bear crossbow strings on hand, we can minimize any downtime you may have.

11. Horton

Horton was once one of the industry leaders in crossbows. Even though they’ve been out of business for over a decade now, they remain one of the top crossbow brands because thousands of their bows are still being used today.

Fast-forward a few years from when the original company closed its doors, TenPoint purchased the Horton name and, once again, started to produce quality crossbows under the Horton brand. We do keep a full inventory of Horton crossbow strings for both the original and new crossbow models.

12. Parker

Even though Parker has been out of business for several years, we still see tons and tons of these bows each year and opted to add them to our best crossbow brand list. Overall, they were a price-friendly brand that offered better-than-average quality, making them a contender for being among the top crossbow brands at the time.

The downside here is you were left hanging if you bought one for their lifetime warranty—it doesn’t do much good if they’re out of business! While most parts are no longer available, Parker crossbow strings are always on our shelf.

Order Top-of-the-Line Crossbow Strings

No matter which brand you end up choosing, you’re going to need crossbow strings to keep your crossbow performing optimally and safely. Whether you need a single crossbow string or cable or a full set, we have you covered with custom and ready-to-ship options individually built by a world-champion archer. We can build strings for all of the top crossbow brands, as well as the more obscure models out there. Shop now!